Wireless communication devices, such as cellular phones, communicate with other devices and systems using wireless communication networks. Wireless networks communicate with wireless devices by way of wireless access nodes, such as base stations. Wireless devices and access nodes use various wireless protocols to exchange voice and data communications. The wireless protocols use carrier frequencies in the radio frequency (RF) bands of the electromagnetic spectrum to carry communications. Communications are modulated using the appropriate wireless protocol in order to transfer the communications wirelessly to an access node capable of demodulating the received communications.
RF communications, such as those described above between a wireless device and an access node, are susceptible to electromagnetic interference. Electromagnetic interference is commonly referred to as noise and is generally any electromagnetic radiation other than the intended wireless signal from the wireless device or the access node. Noise may be caused by natural phenomena but may also be caused by wireless transmissions made by other wireless devices, including other wireless devices communicating with the same access node.
As the separation between noise power levels and that of the data communication signal transferred from the wireless device, the data information in the signal may become harder to interpret. If the access node incorrectly interprets data information or fails to receive at least part of the information all together, then the wireless device may need to resend the data. Higher data transfer rates may be more susceptible to issues stemming from higher noise levels and lowering the data transfer rate may allow for better reception of the data information at the access node.